Here & There – Monticello, IL

The county seat of Piatt County, Monticello has a population of 5516. The majority of Monticello’s residents work in the neighboring cities of Decatur or Champaign, both 20 miles in either direction on I-72. Over 60% of the city’s residents commute to other cities for work every day.

Proud to put a positive twist on an otherwise “bedroom community,” Monticello isn’t just a place for residents to rest their heads. The downtown “Courthouse Square” is home to professional and retail businesses, restaurants and galleries. Allerton Park is a 1500-acre park and nature area owned by the University of Illinois. Open to the public year-round, Allerton hosts several annual events including the Music Barn Festival and monthly concerts in the park. The Monticello Railway Museum also offers vintage passenger train rides during the year.

Without a community college or university, Monticello students have limited opportunities for the same advanced placement, dual credit courses and business internships that are offered in Decatur through Richland Community College and Millikin University. Major businesses include Heath’s John Deere, Rick Ridings Ford and Bill Abbott’s GM automotive dealerships, and County Market.

As with any small community, homes for sale are limited – only four are currently available in the median home value range between $135,000-$140,000. The average property taxes paid in Monticello are $2909, higher than Decatur’s average of $1903.